Leg actuated pump



April 23, 1935. D. PARKER 1,998,734

LEG ACTUATED PUMP Filed June 11, 1934 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Dolza 66! Park 61 April 23, 1935. PARKER 1,998,734

LEG ACTUATED PUMP Filed June 11, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QIWIIJI" INVENTOR Dona Z66 Parker ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED srArss;

PATENT OFFECE 1,998,734 LEG ACTUATED PUMP Donald Parker, Fresno, Calif. I Application June 11, 1934, Serial No. 730,010 3 Claims. 01. 299-97) This invention relates to spray devices, and particularly to a portable manually operated and supported apparatus such as are used when the area to be sprayed is not sufliciently large to warrant the use of a power or wagon sprayer.

In all such portable devices as are new constructed, as far as I am aware, the pressure on the spray liquid is generated by an air pump mounted in direct connection with the spray tank, and as the liquid is used the pressure diminishes and must be replenished. If the tank is of the knapsack type adapted to be strapped onto the back of the operator, this necessitates unfastening and setting down of the tank to pump the same up and the subsequent rernounting operations, all of which take considerable time.

It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide a spray apparatus of this general character in which the pressure is generated and maintained as the need for the same arises by the leg or foot movements of the operator, as when working. Spraying operations can therefore be carried out without stopping until the liquid in the tank is exhausted, with the assurance that ample pressure for effective spraying is had and without any pressure being maintained in the tank or hose when operations are halted.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views: 7

Figure l is a fanciful outline of a spray operatorequipped with one form of my improved pressure generated structures.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the pump and adjacent parts of the apparatus of the type disclosed in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section showing the swivel mounting of the pump barrel, taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of pump unit. 7

Referring now more particularly to the characers of reference on the drawings, and particularly at present to Figures 1 to 3, the numeral i denotes a common form of knapsack spray tank adapted to be strapped onto the back of the operator. Secured to the tank at its ends and extending both in forwardly and depending relation thereto, so as to project to the sides of the man. on whose back the tank is strapped adjacent his waist, are brackets 2. These brackets at their forward ends serve to support laterally projecting swivel trunnions 3 on. which vertical pump barrels 4 are mounted. Each barrel at its lower end is provided with intake and outlet check valves 5 and'fi respectively.

Each valve 5 is connected to a flexible hose 1 which leads from the tank i so as to feed to the corresponding pump bygravity, while the outlet valves 6 of the two pumps are connected by a common flexible hose 8 which preferably extends across and in front of the operator. Another length of hose 9 is suitably tapped into the hose 8 and is connected to any; conventional form of spray nozzle device l0. 7

The plunger ll of each pump is preferably of the displacement type and projects from the top of the barrel through a packing gland l2. Connected to the upper end of the plungerand de pending to the sides of the pump barrel is a yoke it to the lower end of which an operating unit is rigidly connected. This unit preferably comprises a tube member M in which a rod i5 is slidable, said tube and rod being held at any set position by a set screw it or the like. A strap H to extend about the foot of the wearer in front of the heel is secured on the lower end of the rod as shown in Figure 1. The adjustability of this operating unit enables'the same to be accommodated to men of different stature.

By means of the above construction it will be seen that with each walking movement of each leg, if such movement is accompanied by a flexing of the knee and a raising of the foot, the plunger will bereciprocated in the corresponding pump, causing the liquid from the tank 'to be drawn into. the pump barrel and then discharged under pressure through the hose 8 to the spray nozzle. The upward movement of the foot merely raises the plunger and is the intake stroke of the pump, the downward pull on the plunger had by the forward and straightening out movement of the leg being the pressure and discharge stroke. The length of the pressure stroke and the consequent pressure generated on the liquid is thus dependent on the strength of the operator regardless of his weight, and I believe a reasonably strong man should be able to generate 300 lbs. pressure in the nozzle. While the pressure stroke of each pump is intermittent, the two pumps operate alternately and since they feed into the one discharge hose a substantially even pressure is provided, which is aided by the fact that the hoses are preferably of rubber and so can expand and serve as a pressure equalizing chamber.

In the form of device shown in Figure 4, each pump barrel I8 is secured on a vertical plate 19 adapted to be disposed against the outside of the boot 20 or leg of the operator. Said plate is provided with straps 2| and 22 to extend about the boot at the leg and across the foot respectively, so as to hold the plate and the pump rigidly in place relative to the leg. In this arrangement the intake and outlet check valves 23 and 24 to which the inlet and outlet hoses 25 and 26 are connected, are mounted in the top of the barrel.

The plunger 21 of the pump depends from the barrel and is secured to a separate rod 28 which non-turnably but slidably depends through a bearing 29 of said plate. The rod on its lower end carries a relatively large ground engaging pad 30 disposed of course to one side of the foot and adjacent the heel, as shown. A tension spring 3| about the rod is connected at its lower end to the bearing 28 and at its upper end to the upper end of the rod or the adjacent end of the plunger, said spring thus tending to pull the plunger down on its suction stroke. These parts are so arranged that when the plunger is at the bottom of its stroke, as placed there by the operation of the spring, the pad 30 is then below the heel of the foot a distance approximately equal to the total length of the stroke of the plunger.

With this device therefore it will be seen that as the foot of the operator is lifted as in walking the pad 30 will be lowered relative to the foot by the action of the spring 3|. As the foot is lowered to the ground said pad engages the ground first and the weight of the operator, exerted in bringing the foot to the ground, causes the pressure stroke to be imparted to the plunger forcing the liquid throughthe outlet hose 26 with a corresponding pressure.

The pressure which is preferably generated with this arrangement is of course limited and determined by the weight of the operator, whereas with the first described type the pressure which may be generated is determined by the physical strength of the operator regardless of his weight. In both cases however the pumps themselves are small and have relatively short strokes-from 3 to 4"-so that the weight of the pumps will not inconvenience the operator and it is not necessary to have excessively high foot or leg movements in order to properly operate the pumps.

While I have particularly described this ap-' obvious that it can also be used to provide the necessary air pressure for dusting with sulphur and similar powdery materials.

From the foregoing description it wil be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spray apparatus including a tank for spray material adapted to be caried by the operator, a spray nozzle, means to draw material from the tank and force the same under pressure to the nozzle, said means including a plunger pump, means to mount said pump in a vertical position on the operator adjacent the waist to one side of said operator for swivel movement about a transverse horizontal axis, a rod unit connected to the plunger of the pump and dependent alongside the adjacent leg of the operator, and means to releasably secure the lower end of the rod unit to the foot of the operator.

2. A spray apparatus including a tank for spray material adapted to be carried by the operator, a spray nozzle, means to draw material from the tank and force the same under pressure to the nozzle, said means including a substantially vertical plunger pump, means to mount said pump on the operator adjacent the waist to one side of said operator for swivel movement about a transverse horizontal axis, the plunger of the pump projecting from the top of the same, a rigid operating unit connected to the upper end of the plunger and dedpending thence alongside the adjacent leg of the operator to the foot, and means to releasably secure the lower end of said unit to the foot.

3. A spray apparatus including a tank for spray material adapted to be strapped against the back of the operator, a spray nozzle, and means to draw material from the tank and force the same under pressure to the nozzle; said means including vertical plunger pumps having flexible outlet conduits to both of which the nozzle is connected, means to mount the pumps on the opposite sides of the operator adjacent the waist and including supporting brackets projecting forwardly from the ends of the tank, and

separate non-contractible connection means be-' tween the plungers of the pumps and the feet of the operator whereby the plungers will be reciprocated by up and down movements of the feet.

DONALD PARKER. 

